Since when are construction sites suitable playsites for small children? Sounds like this guys' "bad luck" is his own fault.

 

yah, defintely tragic, but easily preventable. I saw the 3 year old riding around in the tri-axle quite frequently. It Seems he was always around the sites.

 

Lighten up a little. Everyone has had their kids around them. The family made a mistake and they have paid dearly. I know when my kids were younger they drove my tractor with me, operated the bucket and so on. Sometimes in this business we work such long hours that the parents think they should take them to work anywhere. I do not. I don't mind them being at the shop but not on the job site. To me it is a professional thing only. If any of you have ever lived or worked on a farm you know that a lot of kids operate the tractors in the hay fields. Is it right maybe not to city folks but to farm people it is part of growing up.

 

I have a 3 year-old son. I won't even mow the grass at our house if he's running around the yard. They just move too quick. That story just breaks my heart and makes me so much more thankful that my little guy is safe and sound.

I know a LCO that mows with their 3 or 4 year old child on the ZTR every day, every customer. They don't want to pay a babysitter.

 

BS-

My uncle new Meade personally and it is quite tragic. My uncle also has young children and they are usually on the sites as well. The rule is that

IF THEY ARE NOT IN DIRECT EYE SIGHT, ASSUME THAT THEY ARE UNDER THE WHEEL.

This point CANNOT! be stressted enough

JOB #1-----BE SAFE!!!

 

I don't allow children on my sites for this reason. If the homeowner won't cooperate, I pick up my tools and head to the next job.

I can't imagine how he feels.

 

First of all, Nelbuts, I doubt you had 3 year olds working tractors on a farm. At that age they lack reason and can't be expected to properly recognize dangers. Big difference in a 10 y/o and a toddler. My point was that it's far better to be "harsh" on some guy who wants to have his kids around a jobsite than to "lighten up" and attend the funeral of a 3 y/o. But then I'm constantly amazed at how cavalierly some people treat their children's safety. It's as if they shrug and think to themselves "oh well, I can always make another one".


My dad was a home builder and his roofers showed up once with their kids. He arrived and noticed their very small kids were climbing ladders and running around on the roof. He called up and told them either the kids went into the truck and stayed there or they all left and never came back. Finally these "parent of the year" nominees put the kids in the trucks until they could take them home. Some folks just don't get it. Kids don't belong in certain places. But forget that, it's just good business. Can you imagine what your insurance company would say if you had a small child DIE on your jobsite? You'd be lucky to ever get business insurance again.

 

My child is 3 and it makes me sick to the stomach just to read the story.

Jimbo

 

Meade came to grade the site next door today with the machine. His 7 year old wasn't with him. I do hope for his sake that he never has another tragedy. Even @ 7 kid's aren't able to realize how badly a machine can injure you.

my "close encounter" happened when i was 8 or 9. i went to my uncles place where they were building and he was driving a dozer around. i saw a stick stuck in the tracks and i went to grab it and pull it out (i thought it would damage the machine). If my uncle had been looking the other way it could have been a tragedy.

 

Originally posted by maple city
I have a 3 year-old son. I won't even mow the grass at our house if he's running around the yard. They just move too quick. That story just breaks my heart and makes me so much more thankful that my little guy is safe and sound.

I know a LCO that mows with their 3 or 4 year old child on the ZTR every day, every customer. They don't want to pay a babysitter.

Maple City,
Geesh, there is no way I would take my 3 year old on the job site while I was running equipment. Do they at least have hearing protection on that child's ears? I can understand wanting to save a few bucks, but is it really worth it?

 

A 5 y/o was just killed here in Atlanta when a guy was using some sort of forklift to haul furniture accross a parking lot to move his girlfriend from one apt to another in a complex. He had the 5 y/o sitting in his lap and the machine turned over, crushing the child. Kids and machines don't mix.

 

it kills me to hear that.